A glamping company is pitching tents for a second summer at a campground along the Jordanelle Reservoir.
While it’s an unconventional arrangement to have an Airbnb within a state park, Jordanelle State Park Manager Jason Whittaker said the Gypsy Glamping campsites are approved and follow rules laid out by the park.
The glamping service rents the campsites for the summer, agrees to keep the area clean and well-maintained and pays a percentage of its profits to the state park at the end of the summer. There are also requirements for business licenses, insurance and special use permits issued by the park.
The small glamping company offers tents with real beds, solar-powered lighting and a carpeted platform. Bookings for up to four people start at $200 per night.
That’s compared to a regular campsite through the park service starting at $40 a night.
Last summer, one tent was available, and this summer, glampsite operator Stan Beck will add a second.
“I don’t really do it for the money,” he said. “I do it for the love of camping and help spread it out to other people.”
Beck operates his tents on the McHenry campground, off the western bank of the reservoir.
Whittaker, the park manager, said it’s a way to make the park accessible to people who want to dip their toes into camping but might not be ready to invest in their own tent and tools.
“We thought it might be nice to give it a try, really just to offer the experience to people that may not have the equipment to come,” he said. “Get them exposed to outdoor recreation, and hopefully we get them addicted to it, you know?”
He said the glamping experience is one among several partnerships the state park uses to offer a range of services to visitors. Others include sailing classes, paddleboarding lessons and more.
Whittaker said the park assesses permit applications on a case-by-case basis.
“Depending on what kind of service they offer, we might meet with them and say, ‘Yeah, this is a great idea. We’d like to move forward,’” he said.
These two tents are the only glamping sites permitted through the state park so far.
All campsites at Jordanelle State Park can be reserved from May through October.
